ISIS et al anti-aircraft threat

Has ISIS, Boko Haram, Taliban etc. made much use of heavy machine guns or automatic cannon for anti-aircraft protection?? Or do they mostly rely on shoulder fired anti-aircraft rockets for protection against air strikes???

Staff MemberModerator

No, the insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan made use of many different kinds of anti aircraft weapons. Not just manpads.

When I was in Iraq we not only had to worry about RPG's and Manpads (SA-7, SA-14 and SA-16), but also had to contend with truck mounted 20 mm anti aircraft guns and other AA guns. The insurgency had a ready access to former Iraqi military hardware and made use of it.

They where also very inventive. They would take 5 or 6 artillery rounds (105 mm or 120 mm) and daisy chain them together and attempt to detonate them as we flew over them.